Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) is a protocol that defines methods for transporting Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) commands and data. The commands and data may be exchanged with input/output (I/O) devices that support the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). The iSCSI protocol is a transport protocol for SCSI commands and data that may be implemented over TCP.
Further details of TCP are described in the publication entitled “Transmission Control Protocol: DARPA Internet Program Protocol Specification,” prepared for the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (RFC 793, published September 1981). Further details of the iSCSI protocol are described in the publications entitled “Small Computer Systems Interface protocol over the Internet (iSCSI): Requirements and Design Considerations,” prepared by the Internet Engineering Task Force (RFC 3347, published July 2002) and “iSCSI,” prepared by the IP Storage Working Group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (Internet Draft draft-ietf-ips-iscsi-20.txt, published Jan. 19, 2003). Further details of the SCSI protocol are described in the publication entitled “SCSI Architecture Model-2” published by T10 Technical Committee of the InterNational Committee on Information Technology Standards (published Sep. 11, 2002).
The iSCSI protocol allows the block-level transfer of data over a network. From a server's perspective, the iSCSI protocol may allow network cards to function as storage area network controllers. The iSCSI protocol may also allow shared storage solutions such as tape drives and Redundant Array of Independent disks (RAID) units to be shared over TCP.